Folding top



Dec. 9, 1930. J. BOCA 1,784,779

` FOLDING To? Filed Oct. 31, 192'? 2 Sheets-Sheet l J. BOCA FOLDING TOP Dec. 9, 1930.

Filed Oct. 3l, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Dec. 9, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT rFicE JOSEPH BOCA, OE FLINT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR 'IO GENERAL MOTORS CORPORATION, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE FOLDING TOP Application filed October 31, 1927. `Serial No. 230,027.

This invent-ion relates vehicles. 1 V Y v It is an object of the invention to provide a top consisting of a plurality of coversup- A porting bows and connecting links so arranged 1) that the top may be collapsed or raised in a short time and with .a vminimum of effort, 2) that when the top is in raised position they will form a strong and substan tial support for the covering material, and (3) that when the top is collapsed theywill occupy a minimum amount of space.

More specically, it is an object of the invention to provide a collapsibley top consisting of bows interconnected by links', in which the bows are composed of slat irons bridged by wooden bow members so connected tothe slat irons that the top occupies lvery little space when collapsed.

More specically, it is an object of the inifention to provide'a collapsible top consisting of a plurality of bows, at leastV oneof which is composed of a wooden bow member to the outer surface of each leg of Vwhich is secured a slat iron, interconnected by-links whereby a structure in which the bows and links will nest snugly when the top is col-V lapsed is produced. v @ther objects of the invention willbe ob- 30 vious from the following description of the preferred embodiment of my invention which is illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure 1 is a central longitudinal section through my top showing it in raised position and mounted. o n the body of a vehicle.

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 but showing the top in partially collapsed position;

Figure 3 is a half top plan of my top in fully collapsedposition.

Figure 4 is a section on the lined-4 of Figure 5. j v

Figure 5 is a side elevation of my top 1n fully collapsed position.

It is understood, ofcourse, that only one half of a complete top structureis'sl'iown in the drawings. vThe other half is .identical with .the mirror reflection of that shown and in the actual top the members designated as `to folding tops for wooden bow members in the specilication each extend from a slat iron on one side to the corresponding slat iron on Vthe opposite side of the top and form supports for the top covering material; i

. The reference character 5 indicates the bodyA of a vehicle to each of the outer sides of which adjacent its rear end is secured a pivot bracket 6. The main bow 7 consists of'two` slat irons 8, one'pivoted as at 9 to each of the brackets 6, and a'wooden bow member 10 bridging the slat irons with one of its legs secured on the outside of each. As may be seen from the drawing the main bow 7 eX- tends upwardly and rearwardly from its body pivot and is provided withy a pivot bracket A11 secured to the inner face of each of its slat irons interme-diate their ends. @ne of the Slat irons 12 of the secondary bow 13 bears at its lower end against the inner face of each of the -brackets l11 andvis pivoted thereto `as atV 14. The slat irons 12 are bridged by'a 'wooden bow member 15 one of the legs of which is secured on the outer face of each of the slat irons. 1 The secondary bow 13 extends upwardl and forwardly from its pivots 14 in the raised position of the top as may be seen from the drawing. To the inner face of each of the slat irons 12 of the secondary bow adjacent its'upper end and intermediate its ends, as at 16 and 17 respectively, are pivoted two forwardly extending links 18 and 19. To the forward end of each ofthe links 19, on the inner side. thereof, and spaced therefrom as by a washer 20, is pivoted the lower end of a slat iron 21 by means of the bolt or rivet 22. n

Eachof the links 18 bears at a point intermediate its length against the innerv face of one of the slat irons 21 at a point spacedv from itslower vend and is pivoted thereto at the point of contact by a bolt or Vrivet 23. Due to the fact that the links 18 and 19 are piv`- oted tothe same side of the slat iron 12 and to opposite sides of the slat iron 21 they cross eachother or Vcome into the same vertical plane at some point intermediate their lengths. In lthe raised 'position of the top as shown in Figure 1 they will contact at this point and provide a means tolimit the downof the top.

The forward or Outrigger bow 241C which consists of two slat irons 25 anda woodenY bow member 26 bridging the slat irons with one of its legs secured on the inner face of each is connected tothe slat irons 21 by two links extending from each ofthe slat irons 25 to each of the slat irons 21. The upper of each of these links, 2T, is pivoted at its forward end on the outer face of one of the slet irons 25 at a point intermediate its ends by the bolt or rivet 28, and at its rear end on the inner face of the corresponding slat iron 21 adjacent its upper end by the bolt or rivet 29. The forward end of each of the links 30 is positioned on the outside of the rear end of one of the slat irons 25 and is pivoted thereto by a .bolt or rivet 31 which also extends through a clamp 32 which is positioned on the outside of the linkand has a portion depending therebelow in a plane outward of the portion of the clamp through which the securing means 31 passes. Ihe rear end of each link 30 is .positioned on the inner face ofthe corresponding slat iron 21 and is pivoted thereto intermediate the pivots 23 and 29 by a rivet or the like 33.

Each link 18 extends forwardly beyond its pivot 23 as indicated in the drawing. To the outer face of the forward end of each link 18 and to the outer face of an intermediate portion of each link 30 are `pivoted the opposite ends of a link 3st by the bolts 35 and 36, respectively.

It will be noted that when thetop is in raised position the forward end of the link 18 abuts against the under side'of thelink 30 and limits the downward movement of the link 3G with respect to Slat iron 21. The links 30 and 27, it is clear, limit the downward movement of the Outrigger bow 24.

As shown inthe drawing the slat irons 21 are bridged by a wooden bow member 37 one leg of which is secured on the outside of each slat iron. The slat irons 21 and the vwooden bow member 37 form what may be described as a supplementaryA bow. This supplementary bow is desirable Vin tops of long span to better support the top covering material though in short span tops the wooden bowmembers 37 may be omitted. If the wooden bow member 37 is omitted the slat irons function merely as links to support the Outrigger bow.

Catches 38 of any suitable type are provided on the Outrigger bow to lock it to the windshield posts 39 when the top is raised..

`The frame work of the top` is covered with a suitable top material 40 secured to the outrigger bow and to the rear of the vehicle body. Strainer webs to tie the bows together and to the body may be used if desired to take the strain off the covering material.

Assuming that the top is in Open position as shown in Figure 1 and it is desired to collapse it, it is necessary only to unfasten the catches 38 from the windshield stanchions and push the Outrigger bow upwardly and rearwardly. The secondary bow 13 will fold against the main bow and the links will guide the supplementary and Outrigger bowsV to their proper positions. In the completely folded position of the top the depending portion of the clamp 32 fits over the adjacent portion of the Slat iron 8 and holds the link 30 and the Outrigger bow tight-ly against the main bow. The advantage ofl having` the wooden bow member of the Outrigger bow secured .tothe inner-.face of the slat irons 25 becomes apparent when the top is viewed in its folded position. It is obvious that this disposition of the wooden bow member allows the Outrigger bow to fold to a position in which it liesV partially within the confines of the link 30 and the bow 13 and substantially parallel with both. VI'f the wooden bow member 26 were secured to the outer faces of the slatirons 25 the wood would contact with link 30 and prevent the Outrigger bow being folded down far enough to effect this compact nesting.

In order to raise the top from its folded position it is only necessary to grasp theoutrigger bow and pull itforwardly and connect it to the windshield stanchions. v

' I. claim: i

1. In a top of the class described, a main supporting bow pivoted to the vehicle, a secondary bow pivoted to the main bow,l a third bow, a link pivoted to the secondary bow and a third bow, and a second link pivotally secured on one face of the ksecondary bow and on the opposite face of the third bow to serve as a stop to limitthe pivotal movement of the said bows.

2. In a collapsible top, a main supporting bow pivoted to the vehicle, a secondary bow pivoted to the main bow, a supplementary bow, a pair of links connecting'the supple'- mentary bow to the secondary bow, an. Outy rigger bow, and a pair of links connecting the Outrigger bow to the supplementary) bow, one of said first named links being crossed over the other to form a stop when the parts are in extended position.

3. In a. collapsible top, a main bowpivoted to the vehicle, a secondary bow pivoted to the main bow, a supplementary bow, a link pivoted at its opposite ends to the supplementary and secondary bows, a second link pivoted at one end to the secondary bow and pivoted intermediate its ends to the supplementary bow and 'extending forwardly beyond its point of pivotal connectionto the supplementary bow, an outrigger bow, a pair of links each pivotally connected to the Outrigger and supplementary bows, and a link pivotally connecte'd'to one of the last named links and to the extension of the second link.

4. In a top of the class described, a main supporting bow, a secondary bow ivoted to the main bow, a supplementary ow, said main, secondary and supplementary bows comprising supporting means and wooden bow members bridging and secured to the corresponding sides of their respective supporting means, means connecting the supplementary bow to the secondary bow, an Outrigger bow consisting of supporting means and a wooden bow member bridging and secured on the faces of the supporting means opposite the faces to which the previously mentioned bow members are secured and means;` includinga link pivotally secured on the faces of the supporting means for the out-riggerbow opposite the faces to which the wooden bow member is secured,

said link connecting the Outrigger bow to the supplementary bow.

5. A folding top comprising a plurality of bows, a pair of links connecting the bows, said links being `secured at one end on opposite sides of one of said bows and at the opposite end on the same side of theother of said bows so that when said bows are extended the links engage each other in crossed relation to form an abutment preventing collapse of the bows. i

6. A folding top comprising a plurality of bows each consisting of supporting means and a wooden bow member, said wooden bow members being secured to opposite sides of their respective supporting means to permit nesting of the bows upon collapse,a pair of links connecting the bows, said links being secured to the bows so that when said bows are extended the links engage each other in crossed relation to form an abutment preventing collapse of the bows.

7. In a collapsible top the combination of a irst bow, a second bow, means connecting the bows including a link having a part extending forwardly of the foremost bow, a third bow, a link extending from the second bow to the third bow and overlying the first-named link'when extended, anda link connecting the extended part of the first#V named link to the second-named link, said connecting link being secured tothe secondnamed link on the side of thelatter opposite that on which the first-named link lies.

In testimony whereof I aiix my signature.

JOSEPH BOCA. 

